Digital TV? No Change Says Obama.

[sandorski]

Some just seem to live to see someone else get screwed.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

This week, federal officials said the program to distribute $40 coupons to consumers to help defray the cost of converter boxes has run out of money, so consumers who need the coupons may not receive them in time for the transition.

An auction of those analog airwaves raised $19 billion for the government last year. Congress allocated $1.34 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to distribute converter box coupons.

Some of you I think are not reading the article. Your rage should be aimed here.

 

[shiner]

And why exactly is it the government's responsibility to make sure people can watch TV?

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Some just seem to live to see someone else get screwed.

That's why porn does so well.

If a week makes a difference, fine. However, the warnings about the change to digital have been ongoing for a long time. If the procrastinators get screwed it's hard to have sympathy for them.

 

[alphatarget1]

wtf. First it was december 2006 (which obviously didn't happen). 2 years later we still can't sell the damn airwave to make some much needed $$$ for our poor government?

Change we can't believe in! (DTV change that is)

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian

This week, federal officials said the program to distribute $40 coupons to consumers to help defray the cost of converter boxes has run out of money, so consumers who need the coupons may not receive them in time for the transition.

An auction of those analog airwaves raised $19 billion for the government last year. Congress allocated $1.34 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to distribute converter box coupons.

Some of you I think are not reading the article. Your rage should be aimed here.

$1.5 billion (or even $1 billion) was more than enough money to get everybody switched over. The estimate is that there are about 20 million households that rely exclusively on OTA broadcasts. That would come out to around $800 million not counting administrative costs.

I'll concede, though, that the program could have been managed better. First of all, I don't understand the reasoning for providing up to two coupons per household, one is enough. Also, the program is available to people who have cable/satellite, but also receive OTA broadcasts. The way I look at it, if you can afford cable you can afford a $50 converter box, not to mention you don't really need the converter box anyways.

 

[ProfJohn]

I believe the converter boxes are hard to find as well, but I could be wrong.

The day after the switch I am sure there will not be a box to be found any where.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
people might just turn on their (talk) radios...or even worse, think for themselves!

At least you appear to understand how different those are.

 

[uli2000]

Around where I live, it actually makes sense. We have no local broadcasters, all of out tv comes from at least 250 miles out and is rebroadcast via translator towers. Since we only have translators, we are exempt from the Feb. 19th deadline. We most likely wont have digital broadcasting ready untill summer at the earliest. Problem is, people here didnt get converter box coupons since the tv district told us we wouldnt be going digital, so now the coupon program is expired and people will have to buy converter boxes.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
And why exactly is it the government's responsibility to make sure people can watch TV?

If the government SELLS YOUR PROPERTY, with the promise that a portion of that sale will go toward moving you to a new property, and then they DON'T PAY UP....wouldn't you be mad?


Yes, I know it's not a perfect analogy, but it's still analogous.

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
And why exactly is it the government's responsibility to make sure people can watch TV?

It's the primary source of information and alerts(weather and such) for a lot of folks. the government is mandating the switch and making a large number ot sets obsilete in one fell swoop.

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: dawp

Originally posted by: shinerburke
And why exactly is it the government's responsibility to make sure people can watch TV?

It's the primary source of information and alerts(weather and such) for a lot of folks. the government is mandating the switch and making a large number ot sets obsilete in one fell swoop.

There is this handy little thing called the radio that people can use if they need the latest news or severe weather reports.

 

[JEDIYoda]

who really cares???? Now be honest!!

 

[Synomenon]

They need more time to prepare for project Blue Beam. Those people who don't have cable or satellite tv need to be able to get the Blue Beam broadcasts too.

 

[Skitzer]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda
who really cares???? Now be honest!!

Agree ..... why is this in anyway important?

 

[FuzzyBee]

Originally posted by: feralkid

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'm sorry, but I have trouble believing there are people out there who can't swing $50 for a converter box, especially considering they've had years to save up for it. Maybe some kind souls could start up a charity fund or something for converter boxes (I might chip in a little cash), but the government has already spent like $1 billion on the coupon program, I don't really think they need to throw more money at it.

Actually they still haven't sent the coupons to many who had already applied.

It's the Government that fucked up; why do you not insist they clean up their own mess?

Huh? I applied for two coupons 12/31 and have already spent them. The complaining about the switchover is all a lot of hoo-hah over nothing.

 

[FuzzyBee]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
This transition has been in the works for what, a few years? Is that seriously not enough time?

It's such a clusterfuck. People are so uninformed about this, most of the hysteria is probably coming from those who don't even need a converter box. I don't see any benefit to extending the deadline, just let it come and most people will finally get it into their thick skulls that they don't need a box. The rest will have to live without TV for a little while until they can get their hands on a converter.

Obviously, the government officials that thought through this plan didn't think about the fact that we have a lot of stupid / ignorant people in this country.

 

[sportage]

Ignoring the stupid opening statement by the op, the subject on analog tv is worth discussion.
One point... This is nothing new. We have been hearing about the "change" for years and years. The time line was even delayed once before till 2009. So its time for this to happen. PERIOD!
Yeah I hated giving up my 1960 bell bottoms. My grandma hated giving up her rotary dial phone in order to use touch tone services. And when they came out with that new gas called unleaded... gees what were they thinking?

Yes people hate change, but thats no reason to avoid change for good.
With digital tv, a typical station, like your local NBC transmitting on one analog channel will be able to transmit multiple channels under one carrier or band.
You might have digital channel 13.1, 13.2, 13.3 all NBC broadcasting.
NBC 13.1 could be your basic NBC network. NBC 13.2 could have 24/7 local weather and or news, and NBC 13.3 could be all movie channel.

Who knows, you may see NBC, CBS and ABC creating its own CNN-like 24.7 news channels. Maybe not the full scope as CNN, but close.
The options for better programming are unlimited.

I actually believe this "could" be a major threat to satellite, cable television.
Giving national "over the air" stations ability to compete with the pay services, giving
home viewers that don?t want to pay for cable or satellite, giving them an option to
go back to OTA antenna tv. With many digital channels to chose from.
People that want more than analog offers, but do not care about nick at night, TBS or
all those other cable/satellite channels.
People may have the option for some pretty decent channels ota for free.
And drop that $100+ a month satellite/cable tv.
Plus... Digital OTA should be more reliable than cable or satellite.
No storms to black out the satellite. No cable tv outages to gripe about.
Look out satellite and cable. OTA digital can now compete with a huge volume
of OTA programming. Many more channels than analog.
And believe me... your local networks will LOVE not having to pay DISH, DIRECTV or CABLE those fee's to carry their feed.
If worked right, satellite and cable will finally have some strong completion.
Offered OTA to customers for FREE, and in DIGITAL HD!!!!

I just hope ALL the digital channels will finally dump 4.3 and go total wide screen. Let those folks with the old 4.3 tube sets put up with the bars, and lets get tv out of the boxed world.

I sorta felt Obama was more of a looking to the future guy than someone holding onto the past. The "digital change" is nothing new. Its been coming for a long long time.

 

[Anubis]

could not care any less about the TV thing, it could never happen and i would just go on with my day

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'm sorry, but I have trouble believing there are people out there who can't swing $50 for a converter box, especially considering they've had years to save up for it. Maybe some kind souls could start up a charity fund or something for converter boxes (I might chip in a little cash), but the government has already spent like $1 billion on the coupon program, I don't really think they need to throw more money at it.

Since 50 dollars is so little, why don't you buy them the boxes. Otherwise shut the hell up, because you obviously have no idea what the economic circumstances are of people who are unlike you. And no, you being elitist and impatient, is not a good enough reason to force this through before they have a chance to get the box.

No one's been saving up for years for the box. They were promised coupons to subsidize the box. Coupons which they have not yet received.

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I just don't see how they screwed up, IMO they've done far more than they had to. Coupons have been available since the beginning of 2008, if somebody waited until 40 days before the transition to request one I don't have a whole lot of sympathy.

Usually when I miss a deadline it's my fault, not the fault of somebody else for not giving me more time.

The people who requested coupons did not miss any deadline. There was no deadline for requesting the coupons. There are over a million people that have already been on the waiting list, far before today.

Your position is nonsensical. It's factual that the government promised coupons, and then ran out of money and couldn't deliver them. That is not the fault of the people who requested the coupons and cannot be spun as such.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes

And even for those on a tight budget, can they really not afford a $50 converter box? If TV is that important to them, forget the coupon and just go out and buy the box, it's not that expensive.

Which incidently would only cost about $15 if it were not for the government coupons. I wonder how many of those boxes will end up on Ebay for $25.

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: dawp

Originally posted by: shinerburke
And why exactly is it the government's responsibility to make sure people can watch TV?

It's the primary source of information and alerts(weather and such) for a lot of folks. the government is mandating the switch and making a large number ot sets obsilete in one fell swoop.

So television is now a right and not a privilege?

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I just don't see how they screwed up, IMO they've done far more than they had to. Coupons have been available since the beginning of 2008, if somebody waited until 40 days before the transition to request one I don't have a whole lot of sympathy.

Usually when I miss a deadline it's my fault, not the fault of somebody else for not giving me more time.

Do you even read what you type?

Wouldn't that mean they applied yesterday? The transition isn't for like 39-40 days.

 

[Genx87]

I have to wonder if the segment of people who arent getting their coupons are the same segment of society who is too stupid to fill out a voting ballot, pay their taxes, hold a steady job, and pay their bills.

Everybody I know who requested a coupon got them within a few weeks and have spent them on boxes.

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: Genx87
I have to wonder if the segment of people who arent getting their coupons are the same segment of society who is too stupid to fill out a voting ballot, pay their taxes, hold a steady job, and pay their bills.

Everybody I know who requested a coupon got them within a few weeks and have spent them on boxes.

Cut em some slack. They probably can't get their Transcamero off the blocks and started so that the can go to the Wal-Marts where they done seen those TV perverter boxes.